Seagrass-Watch Magazine Issue 47 - March 2013 | Page 47

Sri Lanka

Dutch Bay
seagrass

Article & Photography by Bandara W M D K

Future development site

PORTUGAL
BAY

If you happen to drive north from the
capital city of Colombo, along the
western coastline of Sri Lanka, you
Sri Lanka
will stumble upon three large lagoon
systems. One is Negombo lagoon,
which is located close to Colombo, and
another is Chillaw lagoon, which is relatively
unexplored and located approximately 40km
northward of the former. However, near to the coastal
city of Puttlam is the largest lagoon of Sri Lanka: Puttlam
lagoon.

INDIA

DUTCH
BAY
GULF OF
MANNAR

Ippanthivu

Puttlam
Chillaw
Negombo

Periya Arichchal
Puliyankuda

SRI LANKA

Kovilkuda

Colombo

0

50

100

kilometres

P

uttlam lagoon is a shallow
water body covering an area of
32,700 hectares(1), providing
suitable conditions for a
diverse community of
seagrasses. The northern
sector of Puttlam lagoon (near to its
opening to the sea) is called Dutch Bay.
Due to the war which prevailed on the
island, tourist access especially to the

northerly regions of the lagoon were
restricted for nearly 30 years. As a result,
sandy beaches, pristine coral reefs,
seagrass meadows and salt marshes were
inaccessible to scientists and tourists.
Regions such as Dutch Bay, the many
islets nearby, and the Gulf of Mannar were
primarily accessible to the military.
However when the 30 year war ended in
2009, all restrictions perished and the

5 km

Northern
Puttlam Lagoon

region was opened to tourists of foreign
and local origin. With the intention of
expanding the local tourism potential, the
Sri Lanka Tourism Development
Authority (SLTDA) launched the
K a l p i t i y a - D u t c h B a y To u r i s m
Development Project in late 2008.
According to SLTDA, the Kalpitiya-Dutch
Bay tourism zone covers 1672.67
hectares, including 14 islets that are
MARCH 2013

47